Did you know? Many POV films are available free to stream online and on mobile devices. Visit POV's Watch Video page or download the PBS mobile app for iPhone or iPad, and see which films are available today!

What is a Hackathon?

POV’s hackathon is inspired by the “hack days” of the open-source development community and companies such as Facebook and Google. In a traditional hackathon, software coders collaborate outside of the usual corporate constraints in compressed time frames (usually fueled by pizza and energy drinks) to solve a problem.

With POV Hackathon, we add independent producers into the mix, adding their creativity and expertise in social-issue storytelling. POV pairs filmmakers with developers based on their Hackathon applications.

Once matched, the teams participate in a pre-Hackathon orientation session to prepare media (video, photos, data…) and made decisions about software and tools. Then, over two days, the teams work together to produce a working prototype.

More questions? Ask us at hackathon@pov.org. Visit pov.org/hackathon to apply, explore previous projects and find out more. Good luck!

TAGS: developers, digital storytelling, filmmakers, new york city, POV Hackathon, web documentaryPOV StaffPOV (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 300 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.